Sec. 66.62. BOARD FOR LEASE OF UNIVERSITY LANDS. (a) The board is composed of the commissioner, two members of the board of regents selected by that board, and one member of the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System selected by that board. If a regent member is unable to attend a meeting of the board, the presiding officer of the board of regents of the applicable system may appoint another member of that board of regents as a substitute member of the board to attend the meeting that the regular regent member is unable to attend. The substitute regent member shall exercise all the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the absent regent member during the conduct of the meeting for which he was appointed. A substitute regent member is subject to the provisions of this subchapter.

(b) Members of the board, other than the commissioner, serve two-year terms expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year. Regent members continue to serve until a successor is appointed and qualified.

(c) The commissioner is chairman of the board.

(d) A person who is directly or indirectly employed by, or is an officer or employee of a person or entity actively engaged in the exploration for or production of oil and gas, other than as a landowner or royalty owner, may not be a regent member.

(e) An officer, employee, or paid consultant of a trade association in the oil and gas industry may not be a regent member or employee of the board, nor may a person who cohabits with or is the spouse of an officer, managerial employee, or paid consultant of a trade association in the oil and gas industry be a regent member of the board or a non-classified employee of the board.

(f) A person who is required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305, Government Code, by virtue of his activities for compensation in or on behalf of a profession related to the operation of the board, may not serve as a regent member of the board or act as the general counsel to the board.

(g) The board of regents of the university system appointing a regent member may remove the regent member from the board if that member:

(1) does not have at the time of appointment the qualifications required by this section for appointment to the board;

(2) does not maintain during the service on the board the qualifications required by this section for appointment to the board;

(3) violates a prohibition established by Subsection (d), (e), or (f);

(4) is unable to discharge his duties for a substantial portion of the term for which he was appointed because of illness or disability; or

(5) is absent from more than one-half of the regularly scheduled board meetings which the member is eligible to attend during a calendar year, except when the absence is excused by majority vote of the board.

(h) The board is exempt from the provisions of Chapter 2001, Government Code.

Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1324, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1998.